Amor Venenosus [Toxic Love]
by brandysauce
Summary: *slash* Basically plotless romantic angst starring Iori. Short and kinda bittersweet.
1. Lacrimae

Wet

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: I do not own anybody, these creations are the legal property SNK, and I cannot take any credit for them.

Notes: Be warned, ye who reads. This is yaoi! If you do not like it, do not read it. Also, I know this is rather cliché, but in defense I say it's cliché because it's good. Finally, I know the cat's name is somewhat odd, but I couldn't think of any better and I was taking the advice of... a friend (and then I typed it wrong and liked the result). On with the fic!

Iori Yagami flopped on his bed. The springs groaned, eliciting a scowl from the red haired fighter. He ached all over. Couldn't he destroy Kyo and be done with it? No, no he couldn't. For if he did in his rival he would be forever haunted by that action. He turned moodily onto his stomach. "Why?" he moaned into the mattress. Why did—a sudden weight on his back cut off his thoughts, not to mention the dagger sharp claws digging into his skin. "Snox," he sighed, batting at the tabby with one hand, earning a mew of disapproval. "Fine." He turned over, Snox somehow managing not to change position. Iori reached down and pulled the cat up to his chest. She rubbed her head against him, tickling his nose with long whiskers. He laughed sadly and softly, scratching along Snox's back. She purred and started to knead, flexing and contracting white furred paws. "Ow. Ow, Snox!" he chided, picking up his cat and moving her off his chest. Little puncture marks showed red on his exposed skin. He wiped one finger over them and put it to his mouth. The salty taste of his own blood made him sigh. He looked over at Snox, who was licking her paw and wiping it over her ear in the immeasurably cute way of felines. "You're right Snox. A bath."

Iori slipped off the bed and fairly staggered to the bathroom. He ran hot water and while he waited for the bathtub to fill he amused himself by touching his fingers lightly to the furs on the tips of Snox's ears so that she twitched them furiously. When she left with an irritable flick of her tail, Iori simply lay back with his arms behind his head, staring at the ceiling pondering. How had he come to this torment? Why did his heart, the organ that pumped his Orochi blood, have to be drawn to such a one? Why must he love the one he was sworn to destroy? He abruptly remembered his bath and got up, crossing quickly and arriving just in time to keep the tub from overflowing. He breathed a sigh of relief, then snarled under his breath, "Damn you Archimedes." He would displace a considerable amount of water. He rubbed at his eyes, shaking his head. He would clean up later.

He yanked off his clothes, casting them in a corner and got slowly into the bathtub. Slowly because it hurt to move and because the water was nearly scalding. He realized that his collar was still on, so he reached up to his throat and fumbled with the clasp. Sliding it from around his neck he tossed the collar gently so that it landed beyond the puddle around the tub. Iori leaned back and ducked his head under water. It would be nice to stay here forever: warm and wet, not having even to breathe. Eventually though he resurfaced, shining droplets of water sliding off strands of scarlet hair in front of blue eyes. He picked up a bottle of shampoo and squeezed it onto his upturned palm in a spiral. Snox pushed open the bathroom door and stared at her human with a mystified, condescending expression that clearly conveyed how she would never understand the wont of humans to sit in water for long periods of time. "That's not the strangest thing you should wonder about concerning humans," Iori told his tabby as he rubbed shampoo through his hair. Snox's amber gaze turned to a small spider on the opposite wall that seemed to interest her just as much, if not more, than human affairs of the heart.

Iori submerged his head again. Would that he could wash away other things so easily as these suds; his vengeance, his love, his guilt... As though trying to scrub away such problems he moved a heavily soaped washcloth over his body. Reaching to get at the center of his back, he wondered what it would be like to do this for Kyo. Soapy caresses and hot water...WHY? He threw down the washcloth; laid back again to rinse off his back, drained the tub, and got out. Not bothering to dress or even dry off beyond a perfunctory brush with a towel he crawled between the sheets and silently cried himself to sleep.

Was it nice? Did it suck? Will you give it a review?


	2. Sanguis

Here's another chapter. I wasn't really expecting it, but it happened. It's even shorter than the first one. I'm sorry. I think there's gonna be a third, and that will probably be longer. Anyway, chapter two:

            Kyo groaned and leaned back against the wall, blood running from the corners of his mouth. More blood clotted in his hair, plastering it to his forehead and his hands were covered in crimson. Another hellish fight with Iori. He knew the man loved him. Every time he came close he could see it in Iori's eyes; feel it in the way his attacks sometimes brutally mocked lovers' caresses. Something in Kyo screamed that this wasn't fair, it was not right that Iori should know the torture of loving a mortal enemy. Most of Kyo, though, simply shuddered in revulsion at the thought.

            Kyo rubbed a hand across his cheek, leaving a sticky smear. Iori Yagami. Product of the opposing clan. Destructive demon. A worthy opponent, yes, but love? The closest he could come was horrified pity whenever he so clearly read the amour and anguish in Iori's countenance.

            Kyo pushed himself painfully away from the wall and began his slightly unsteady way home. Best to leave the place where drops and tiny puddles of blood mingled, minutely sizzling with power as the blood of the clans ran together. The concept sent an electric shiver up Kyo's spine. If this thought occurred to Iori would it please him? 

            Absorbed in musings Kyo nearly blundered into a tree. Water had collected in the shallow depression around the tree's base and the young fighter saw his reflection in the rippling surface. He looked a fright; blood was smeared and crusted across his face, his hair was disordered and his clothes were torn. He wiped away some of the blood still trickling from his nose and was struck by a thought: _Does Iori feel this way inside after our fights?_ He banished such musings from his head and pushed on homewards. To think of that one loving him was too much.

Sorry this one was so short and sucky.  The truth is I don't really like Kyo and I wasn't that inspired.  A thousand apologies.  I'll try to make the rest of my work better.


	3. Morbus

Okay, chapter three.  Back to Iori.  Sorry if the time sequencing on this is a bit hard to figure out.  Just take the few clues I drop and don't think about it too hard and maybe, hopefully it will all make sense.  Warning: this chapter is a little gross in some parts.

            From his perch in a tree Iori watched Kyo drag himself home.  On the branch above her human Snox twitched her tail, amber eyes fixed on a sparrow.  Iori blew a strand of hair away from his face, but it settled back.  How he loathed this.  Kyo's bleeding brought an odd mix of disgust, triumph, regret, elation…  His stomach twisted as Kyo nearly smacked into the tree he was concealing himself in.  The dark-haired man looked down at his reflection.  Iori leaned back with a silent prayer that he did not appear in the image the puddle showed.  Kyo simply wiped blood from his face and stared with bowed head into the water, submerged in thought.  Iori's guilty heart beat an irregular allegro rhythm as Kyo finally raised his head a bit and continued his journey.  A subtle moan slipped into the evening and caused Kyo to look dully about.  Finding no one he moved on, shoulders hunched.  Iori clamped his eyes shut and bit his tongue.  

            Snox dropped onto his right thigh with a proud but muffled meow.  Iori opened one eye and stared for a moment at his cat.  Both eyes flew open as he tried to bat Snox and her gory prize away, lurching back and nearly toppling from his branch.  The mangled ball of feathers in Snox's mouth fluttered weakly.  Iori made a sick noise and covered his mouth with one hand.  "Get off, Snox," he commanded weakly, poking her with one finger.  Snox leapt lightly out of the tree and carried on her play with the sparrow.  Hooded eyes dull with misery followed the tabby's movements as her claws slashed at the crippled bird.  She pounced and caged it between her paws, head bent low over the prey.  The bird struggled feebly as tiny but effective jaws closed; a crack rent the blanket of quiet; one wing flapped its last.  The crack, added to recent injury, guilt, and last night's cheap liquor, turned Iori's stomach.  An unusual hiccup jerked the muscles in his belly and throat; his eyes went wide and he leaned hastily across the branch.  Snox was intent on her sparrow and took no notice of the contents of her human's stomach being regurgitated in a stream of textures and colors.  After a time Iori wiped the back of his hand across his mouth and sat up.  "Let's go home, Snox," he whispered.  Snox looked up, bits of blood and bone clinging in the fur on her muzzle.  Iori shuddered and slid out of the tree.  Snox picked up what remained of the sparrow and trotted to catch up with Iori as he staggered through back alleys.

            Snox sniffed at her human's hair.  The only response was a muffled "Mmph," from the lump in the bedcovers.  Snox twitched an ear and hopped off the bed, leaving Iori to his misery.  The man seemed to be trying his best to pretend he was back in the womb.  Curled tightly in a fetal position in the warm dark under blankets with only a few strands of hair showing he squeezed his eyes shut and tried to control his breathing.  Tried to bring his breathing back to a regular pattern from the jerking, heaving rhythm that threatened to break into sobs.  He hated himself for this.  This was weakness, this was wrong, this was breaking the vows of generations, this was not tolerable.  He believed Kyo had some inkling of his feelings; he had caught a knowing flash in the dark eyes that stung through his consciousness and lodged in his heart.  That flash told him not only that Kyo knew, but that Kyo did not reciprocate.  Iori lost his struggle and a sob tore from him, grating against his breastbone.  Tears soaked the sheets as his shoulders jerked.  Kyo knew and hated it.  Kyo could live hating his enemy, but how could anybody live loving their enemy, hating their love?  Eventually the sobbing stopped and was replaced by uneasy sleep filled with dreams.

            In a landscape of blood and hurt he wandered, forsaken and purposeless.  Rivers of vermilion flowed down mountain ranges like scars on the terrain.  Rifts in the land oozing tar-like substances yawned at his feet like putrid sores.  A rain of tears misted the dreamscape and settled in his hair.  Under a sky of despair he sank to his knees with a silent howl.  Carried on a wind of sighing misery Kyo's faint taunt drifted and wrapped itself mockingly about the forlorn man in the waste.

Oh Lord, I actually wrote all that?  I guess I shouldn't be alone all day.  Well, it was longer.  Slightly better I hope?  (Though don't honestly suppose.)  Please review.


	4. Noxietas

            So early in the morning that the sky was still grey streaked with palest blue and pink as the last star faded, Kyo walked the streets.  His hands were thrust into his pockets and he moved slowly, as though he was still waking up.

            While Kyo walked alone Iori sat with Snox on his lap and a bowl of soup in his hands.  Watching the sky lighten over the rim of his bowl the redhead smiled a little.  The pain of last night had subsided to a low, sweet ache like sad background music that allowed him to enjoy the beauty of early morning.  Snox moved her head quickly, following the flight of a butterfly.

            Kyo idly kicked an empty beer can down the street.  His bruises and sore muscles throbbed dully, but worse was the sickening remorse that had him up so early.  Yesterday he had seen something in Iori's eyes; something terrible.  He had seen a flash of knowledge followed by a crushed look that was quickly shuttered and hidden by an opaque blaze of fighting rage.  Iori knew that he rejected his love; that he found it distasteful.  Though he did not like Iori Kyo could not revel in his despair.  Guilt settled on him and coiled about his heart.  He cast about for a way to unclench the icy fingers curling around his heart, and his gaze fell on the beer can at his feet.

            The sun set in a miraculous display of purple and orange.  Iori cast a long shadow as he meandered along the road.  Snox sat on his shoulders, tail wrapped loosely at the base of his neck.  Iori turned into a narrow passage between two buildings.  He felt Snox tense and looked warily about.  In a pool of shadows there was a figure, uncharacteristically slumped but still quite recognizable.  The background pain rose suddenly, stabbing at Iori's heart and roiling his stomach.  Snox leapt from Iori's shoulders as Kyo pushed himself up and approached Iori.

Wahaha, I'll leave you hanging with the miserable woe-is-Kyo guilt chapter.  What will a sloshed Kusanagi do next?  I hope your next action will be to review this pitiful story.  Pleeeeeease?


	5. Ignoscentia

Oooh, last chapter.  How will it all end?  *Warning-sappiness-Warning-mushiness*

            Iori took a step back.  Not now.  He could not bear to touch Kyo now.  He wanted desperately to crawl under a rock, wanted nothing more, but that was no longer an option.  Kyo was now close enough that he could smell alcohol and see tear stains streaking the younger man's face.  Iori tensed himself for a quick fight-just gain enough advantage to slip away- but Kyo assumed no fighting stance.  He drew his hand back slowly and Iori thought Kyo would slap him, but the hand came to rest lightly on his cheek while the other twined itself in the hair at the back of his head.

            Iori was too stunned by this touch to react and stared into Kyo's eyes, which were wide and dark, shining with welling tears.  Kyo's eyes locked on Iori's and his lips moved.  'I'm sorry,' he mouthed, dark eyes imploring.  Iori nodded and slipped his arms around Kyo's shoulders, drawing him close.  Kyo lowered his head and laid his cheek against Iori's chest.  He could hear the other's heartbeat.  It seemed mournful and every other beat had a barely noticeable split-second pause; fragmented.  Broken.  "I'm sorry," Kyo whispered again.  Iori looked down, his lips against Kyo's silky hair.  "So am I."

            Another fractured heartbeat, and the two moved back from each other.  Their hands found each other, clasping and twining.  Both men stood with bowed heads at bent arms' distance as the sun slipped past the horizon.  As dark laid claim to the scene Iori slid his hands from Kyo's and slowly walked away, a single tear leaving its gleaming trail down his cheek.  Kyo watched Iori's retreating silhouette and placed his hand over his heart.  There was a tiny split every other beat.  A soft warmth rubbed his ankles and he looked down to see Snox.  He bent and stroked the tabby's back, then straightened and watched her trot away in the direction Iori had gone.

                        Fin

If you stayed with me this long, thank you very very very much.  I'm sorry my writing's not good, or if you hated the ending or anything.  Just tell me in a review.  If you need to flame—well, I like it hot.  Thanks so much for reading.


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